Red Sea Sailfin tang
February 13, 2007
The Red Sea Sailfin tang or Desjardin’s Sailfin tang (Zebrasoma desjardinii) is a marine reef tang in the fish family Acanthuridae. They originate in the lagoons and reefs of the Indian Ocean from the southern Red Sea to KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa and as far east as India and Java. They may live at water depths of 6.5 – 100 ft (2 – 30 m) or more. The fish grow to a maximum length of 16 in (40 cm).
Red Sea Sailfin tangs natively live in a tropical climate and prefer saltwater with an ideal temperature range of 72 – 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
The fish are pair spawners, a typical trait of other fish in the Zebrasoma genus. The juvenile fish live in the inner reef areas.